Debian kernel recompile is now Pissin me off!!

[Mountainman]

Ok, it was xcdroast. Now its the kernel recompile itself. I can get scsi emulation enabled and make my cdr work using xcdroast. The problem is that I am unable to select my nic when selecting modules from kernel-package. I tried to do a insmod rtl8139 after I rebooted. Didnt work. I keep getting unresolved symbol errors whenever I try to install the module. I can live without some of the other lesser things, but I need my nic to work!! Or at least point me to some info :D THanks!

[Mountainman]

ok, here is what I am thinking after I got some sleep. Its trying to insert the module from the recompiled kernel (I think), instead of going to /lib/modules/net for the nic modules. I think that is where the fundamental problem lies, and why I keep getting unresolved symbol errors when I try to insert the module. :confused:

[Aikidoka]

Recompile your kernel with your NIC compiled into the kernel instead of as a module.

[Mountainman]

I tried. It wont even let me select it using kernelpackage. I can select a few 3com cards, but no rtl8139 card.

[Gnu/Vince]

Try it the old way. make menuconfig; make dep; make clean ; make bzImage ; make modules; make modules_install, etc. And which version of the kernel are you running and what version of modutils is installed? This may be an issue. Another thing you can do, is to put lots of stuff as module, and try to load your NIC modules again.

[Mountainman]

I am using Debian 2.2r2 kernel 2.2.18pre21. I recompiled using the exact same kernel off the debian cd. I am not sure as far as the modutils version. I guess I will try it the old fashioned way tonight...

[debiandude]

This is just a temporary solution but if you could download kernel-modules-2.2.18pre21 at least that way you can have a precompiled driver for your nic already. You have bin86 installed right. I remeber when I first got debian I didn't have bin86 and anything that used assembly would fail. You might want to get task-devel too.

[debiandude]

I don't think that you have you .config file set up. That would be why you can't select the modules. I would do a make xconfig and select it that way. Then do a make dep && make clean && make bzImage && make modules && make modules_install

[Mountainman]

What do you mean by .config setup correctly? Nothing accusatory, just wanting more info. To see what I am working from, view the Xcdroast is pissing me off post of a few days ago that I did in this forum. I am installing the source and headers from the cd, extracting the source and untarring it, cd'ing into the directory that it creates (kernel-source_2.2.18pre21) and then running make xconfig. Is there a step that I am missing? Is there a website that has a step by step somewhere?

[rod]

You should have a directory named /usr/src/linux. This is where you want to run make xconfig. As debiandude suggested, you will need the package 'bin86' installed. You will also need the other packages we talked about in your xcdroast thread.

As root:

cd /usr/src/lniux
make xconfig
make-kpkg kernel_image

That will make you a .deb package for your kernel. Next we just install it:

dpkg --install kernel-image-2.2.18pre21 whatever

regards,
Rod

[ 09 March 2001: Message edited by: rod ]

[Mountainman]

Hi rod! For some reason, I am not getting the linux directory created. I get a /usr/src/kernel-source-2.2.18pre21 directory created but never a linux one. That is my fundamental problem I think. Should I install the headers before the source or something? Actually, what do the headers actually do? I think I am on the verge of finishing this monster, I just need to get the linux directory to be created. Thanks for the help so far guys...

signed--
a Debian Acolyte :cool:

[rod]

What you need to do, is when you run 'make xconfig', select YES to the first option, Code Maturity Level Options.

This will allow you to select your module for your NIC.

Sorry for the confusion. You are correct about the file created after unpacking the kernel-source.

Regards,
Rod

[Mountainman]

THanks rod. I played around and recompile the kernel about 5 times yesterday. It got to the point that it wouldnt even recongnize the fact that the kernel had changed. I will do a fresh install tonight and try it with the code maturity options. If I ever get this working, I am gonna right such a NHF for this thing, and I am gonna name you as the technical info source. :D

[Mountainman]

AArGH!! I went home yesterday to recompile with the new info, and my wife had thrown away all my notes!! Can you believe that crap? I tried to do it by memory and when I rebooted it didnt even detect anything scsi present. crap!! :mad: Guess I will start over on it tonight.

[rod]

Some links to help you in your endeavor.

The xcdroast thread. (http://www.linuxnewbie.org/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=004009)

Block Device Selections (http://members.home.net/rod105/block.jpeg)

SCSI Support Selections (http://members.home.net/rod105/scsi.jpeg)

Have Fun

Regards,
Rod

[Mountainman]

Hey, GOT IT!!! My final question shall be for the hd setup in Xcdroast. I pointed it toward my primary partition and set /cdrom as the mount point. Is this right? Do I need to create a folder to act as a mounting point? Just a little confused.

[rod]

Glad you got it.

I don't use xcdroast, but installed and set it up.

For my HDrive setup, I made a directory called /home/myusername/xcdroast. Then used the browse tab to select it, then the add button, well, to add it. I would think you could put this directory anywhere you have some room.

Regards,
Rod

[Mountainman]

yeah, there is always something. My module for my nic is there, but its the only mod in modconf. I am gonna play with it some more. That and my floppy wont mount anything. Says it has the wrong file type selected, but floppy's file type is set to auto. Ill figure it out eventually. I really need the Debian bible thats coming out this month. Is there somewhere that has some sort of underground debian super knowledge books or something, as I feel I need to start finding some things out...

[rod]

here's one (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/debian/chapter/index.html)

another (http://www.newriders.com/debian/html/noframes/)